Today marks Day #15 of the sugar/alcohol detox (or whatever variation that you’re working towards).  I’m feeling great — but in another sense not so great — but I expected that.  In terms of abstaining, I do not have struggles.  I have overcome my want of added sugar and every now and again I have a fleeting moment of wanting to pop a bottle of wine, but only because I’m so accustomed to sipping a glass of wine while I cook.  I love being in the kitchen and thus it goes hand in hand.  As I’ve explained in previous posts, though, that 1 glass of wine would turn into finishing the bottle with my partner over dinner.  That almost nightly imbibing was affecting my entire being, although at the time I may not have noticed it as much as I do now.  So, that’s the good part — I have conquered my cravings and impulse.  On the other hand, though, I do not feel very good physically.  This can most certainly be attributed to much more than just a detox: winter, flu and cold-like symptoms going around, maybe even boredom — but I am crawling into bed before 9pm and sleeping hard until 5:30am.  I have also been addressing an old shoulder injury with medical massage that’s rearing its inflammatory head and my body just feels beat.

I am a reader.  And, with crawling into bed super early I have taken to reading a friend’s book (see pic above) called Mountain Mantras.  In the first chapters I was able to take away some great advice to incorporate positivity upon waking and also before sleeping.  I have woken up each morning and before getting out of bed said, “Thank you Universe for the great day I’m going to have today.”  I then list all the positive things that I foresee, or want, to unfold.  Before hitting the pillow, my partner and I have also thanked the Universe for the great day we had (regardless of what day we actually had) and list the reasons why we were grateful for our day.  It has been a nice incorporation to our detox.   Read more about it here: Mountain Mantras book.

The book is an easy and humorous read that incorporates life lessons, ski lessons and nutrition/wellness lessons that together provide much inspiration.  Much of the nutrition advice I obviously already followed, but what was interesting in last night’s read was Chapter 4 & 5, respectively titled: Plant your Poles and Embrace the Yard Sale.   The gist of both is that whatever goal we have it is important to break it down and then embrace any failure that comes about.  As Kathryn writes: “Setting a vision for what we want to achieve in life is a great start, but we must be able to take the vision into mind and then create actionable, measureable steps that we feel are attainable.”  This is imperative as it relates to the current challenge because it would be no surprise to learn that many of us have quit the challenge.  For those of you still with me — YAY!!! — but for those who are not.  That’s OK. In respect to “Embracing the Yard Sale” — for those who don’t downhill ski it’s when you crash hard and all your gear spreads across the mountain like a yard sale — Kathryn notes, “Falling, only to get up and start again, is one of the key elements of skiing and, like failing, it is one of the most important ways humans learn.  We get so caught up in the notions of success and perfection that we often forget to acknowledge and appreciate failure.”

Just an encouragement that if you’re still detoxing or you’ve given up for whatever reason — that everything serves a purpose.  This detox is not my first rodeo and it’s taken quite a handful of attempts and re-tuning and learning about myself to come to a place where I’m confident in my approaches.  It has helped me to shed the food issues — including the body issues — that have plagued my sense of well-being.

It continues to propel me forward towards success.  An old friend always encouraged, “Keep on keepin’ on.”